I did the 13 mile backpacker's loop a couple weeks ago and just now getting around to the pics and report. I made reservations to camp at the newly designated backpacker's campsite at the fifty springs picnic area. This amounts to just calling them and giving them your name and number. I parked at the visitors center off clarksville road. I finally hit the trail and headed around the south side of the loop taking the yellow blaze trail. I was a little confused upon entering the Pioneer Village but was able to pick up the trail again on the road leaving the village. If you pay attention you will see yellow blazes on the asphault and street signs where the trail leaves the woods. That six and half miles or so wore me out and I settled in at fifty springs a little outside of the backpacker's camp due to the lack of trees on that site. There seemed to be alot of late night traffic and saw some flashlights in the picnic area well after dark, thank goodness I was tucked away out of sight unaffected. I'm not sure what all the lights were for but I was the only backpacker there but I guess it could have been some late comers. I woke up to coyotes nearby and had breakfast and took my time breaking camp. I was able to get water from the fountain at the picnic area bathrooms. The bathrooms themselves are all locked up due to lack of funds. I relunctantly continued the trail because I was wore out from the day before but I pressed on over the bridge on Rt 73 and to the left into the woods again. The blue blaze trail picks up along the north side of the loop. This is the part of the Buckeye Trail that goes around the entire state of Ohio. The trees were beautiful and vistas of the lake kept me going. There were plenty of times when I wanted to give up and catch a ride but I am glad I saw it through. This has been my most milage in a 24 hour period. I ran across some guys that were just finishing the whole loop in a day and I thought they surely must have had segways stowed away somewhere. It's gonna be my goal to do that kind of milage by next spring. Anyways I recommend this loop to anyone. I enjoyed my time in the woods and felt good about finishing. Enjoy the pics!
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